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Nats’ Zimmerman wants no-trade clause

Although he has two years left on his current contract, third baseman Ryan Zimmerman hinted that he would like a no-trade clause and would like to spend the rest of his career with the Nationals.

Zimmerman spoke to general manager Mike Rizzo on Friday, but the conversation was about Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, who had his 50-game suspension overturned on Thursday. The Nationals have until Saturday morning to get a deal done with their third baseman. Zimmerman said he doesn’t want to discuss a new deal after that because he doesn’t want to become a distraction to the team.

Asked he felt he would get a deal done by Saturday morning, Zimmerman said, “There are still things that need to be worked on both side. We need to do some stuff, they need to do some stuff. We’ll see. … I think we have come a long way from back where we started, so you never know.”

Zimmerman’s agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, was seen at the Nationals’ Spring Training complex on Wednesday talking to Rizzo. The two sides also met Thursday afternoon without coming close to a deal.

“I’m the same like I was before,” said Zimmerman, who was asked Friday morning if he was close to an extension.

Van Wagenen left Viera on Thursday night. However, there is still a 24-hour window to get a deal done. If not, look for Zimmerman to play out the rest of his current contract. Zimmerman is coming off an injury-plagued season, hitting .289 with 12 home runs and 49 RBIs in 101 games. Zimmerman missed significant time because of an abdominal injury.

“The big things have to be taken care of: The money, that kind of stuff, the big part of the contract,” Zimmerman said. “There are obviously little things and language that take a little bit longer to be taken care of. But if we can get most of the big things done by Saturday — I don’t have to sign the contract by Saturday. We have to have the pressing issues … that need to be done by Saturday.

“The point of me signing this deal is to be here, not to sign a deal that is team friendly, to have it with another team. That’s the whole point of the deal.”

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